I'm thinking of putting an original cast iron fireplace c 1930 back in my
house of similar age. Then I'd like to sort the system for an open fire.

What are the things I need to do/consider?
Is a reclaimed fireplace going to be okay, I've got this fear it may crack
for some reason.
Smoke testing, fireclay & where to put the stuff, I'm aware I need to fill
any voids, anything else?

Good resource for info?

TIA

--
Mike W

On Wed, 15 Jun 2005 22:45:05 GMT, "VisionSet"
wrote:

I'm thinking of putting an original cast iron fireplace c 1930 back in my
house of similar age. Then I'd like to sort the system for an open fire.

What are the things I need to do/consider?
Is a reclaimed fireplace going to be okay, I've got this fear it may crack
for some reason.
Smoke testing, fireclay & where to put the stuff, I'm aware I need to fill
any voids, anything else?

Good resource for info?

TIA

Is your chinmey up to it ?
Building regs may want to take a look, exp if any chinmey work happens
They make dirt in the house
R U in a smok les zone ?
How will you get the ash over the white carpet ?

Rick

"Rick" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 15 Jun 2005 22:45:05 GMT, "VisionSet"
wrote:

I'm thinking of putting an original cast iron fireplace c 1930 back in my
house of similar age. Then I'd like to sort the system for an open fire.

What are the things I need to do/consider?
Is a reclaimed fireplace going to be okay, I've got this fear it may
crack
for some reason.
Smoke testing, fireclay & where to put the stuff, I'm aware I need to
fill
any voids, anything else?

Good resource for info?

Where will you put the fuel? Wood needs somewhere out of the rain, and takes
up a large amount of space. It needs seasoning so the space really has to be
dedicated to wood storage even in the summer. Coal burns hotter and takes up
less
space but is a little dirtier.

Real fires can have quite variable heat outputs, above the 3kW often put out
by a gas
fire, and it's best to have the fire surround slabbed and jointed ( i.e. the
superimposed
hearth and the fire surround split into 3 and 2 parts respectively, the they
are cemented
back together to reduce the thermal stress that might crack a single piece
of marble/limestone/slate/whatever ).

Go for a fireplate ( probably brass, mine is ) directly in front of the
fireplace on the
superimposed hearth, as stuff tends to spill out of the fire and this debris
will stain
the superimposed hearth otherwise.

Hearth regs have changed since the '30's, and there are regs about the width
of the
superimposed hearth, its depth etc. Also, if the fire is lit directly on the
back hearth
( for instance, as I read it anyway, if you have a basket grate that sits
inside the
fireplace and drops redhot ash onto the back hearth ), then the
constructional hearth
( that bit on which the superimposed hearth sits ) must be 5" thick or more,
must
extend to a certain depth and width, and must not be seated upon combustible
material
(i.e. wood ).

AFAIK there is no requirement to line your chimney for a solid fuel fire, as
there is with gas,
so that is up to you. It's probably £300+ for a stainless steel flue liner
if you wanted one and
installed it yourself. I just teated my chimney for leaks, found none and
used it as it was.
Check up in your loft as well remember.

Solid fuel fires are a bit dirty, definitely inconvenient, and hard work,
but they have character
that is unbeatable and IMO come into their own at Christmas. Plus, you can
throw rubbish like
walnut shells and wrapping paper onto them without worrying that you'll
contaminate the mechanism! BTW, if you have a thermostat in the same room as
the fire, move it, as the fire will
fool the thermostat.

Andy.